Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Herro making the best of the bad
“No. No. No . ... Good shot.”
It is the ultimate testimonial to a shot-maker, the decision to launch when practicality indicates otherwise.
It also is music to Tyler Herro’s ears. And now, increasingly, a sight for sore eyes for Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
Monday night’s victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder was the latest example, when Herro led the Heat with 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting.
“If I hadn’t seen him so often in our workouts, practices and his summer development, if I hadn’t seen all of that, then maybe you would look at some of these plays and say, ‘Well, what else is available?’ “Spoelstra said, with the Heat turning their attention to Wednesday night’s visit to FTX by the New Orleans Pelicans.
“But I’ve seen him make and work on those shots hour after hour. And he’s improved his playmaking ability, as well. Because most teams now are not just letting him come off freely on pick-androlls. They’re either switching, jump switching, or trapping him. And his passing and hitting the open guy has really improved. But those traps and jump switches are born out of a respect because of his shot-making ability. He’s earned that.”
What might have been viewed as fortunate conversions at the start of season now come against defenses steeled to minimize such impact.
“That’s what he spent the summer in the weight room for, to handle that kind of physicality,” Spoelstra said. “And his skill level, working on his ballhandling, his skills, he’s not an easy guy to pressure anymore, not with his physical durability and his skill set.
“You crowd him too much, he’s going by you, or he has a way of being shifty enough to find an advantage.”
In his third season, Herro has grown as a scorer and grown physically.
“I feel comfortable, really comfortable when I have the ball in my hands to make plays,” he said. “We worked a lot with what Coach said, with guys pressuring me and having the ball in my hands. I think with the weight I added, getting stronger really helps with that.”
Opportunity maximized
With Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Markieff Morris,
Marcus Garrett and Victor Oladipo all unavailable in Oklahoma City, third-year forward KZ Okpala maximized his opportunity with eight points and seven rebounds, both season highs, in 15:04.
Prior to Monday, Okpala had played 18 minutes over five appearances, held out of six of the previous seven games.
Spoelstra inserted Okpala when the Thunder went with a smaller frontcourt.
“KZ’s versatility defensively really helps, and that’s ahead of the other aspects of his game while he’s developing all those other aspects,” Spoelstra said. “He was able to play to his strengths [Monday] and gave us a really good boost.
“I was really encouraged by his minutes. He’s been putting in the time. And everybody else on the road trip has really had their opportunities, and finally KZ had his opportunity and made the most of it. He was ready.”
Three for all
WiththeHeatclosingthevictoryin OklahomaCityat18of40on3-pointers,itincludedallfivestarterswithat leastoneconversionfrombeyondthe arc: Herro 5 of 8; Duncan Robinson 5 of 12; P.J. Tucker 2 of 4; Dewayne Dedmon 1 of 1; and Kyle Lowry 1 of 3.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, it is the second time the Heat accomplished the feat this season of all five starters with at least one 3-pointer, matching last season’s total.
2021-22
Oct. 30 at Grizzlies: Robinson (5), Lowry (4), Butler (1), Dedmon (1), Tucker (1).
Monday at Thunder: Herro (5), Robinson (5), Tucker (2), Dedmon (1), Lowry (1).
2020-21
March 4 at Pelicans: Kelly Olynyk (4), Butler (1), Kendrick Nunn (1), Okpala (1), Robinson (1).
March 11 vs. Magic: Olynyk (4), Robinson (3), Butler (1), Nunn (1), 7Okpala (1).